Senate Bill 317 and what it could mean for affordable workforce housing

SOUTHPORT, NC (WWAY) — A piece of legislature in the North Carolina Senate would address the workforce housing shortage by providing affordable housing for firefighters, police officers and teachers.

However, critics say Senate Bill 317, if passed, could take some decision-making power away from municipalities.

“In particular I think (of) the environmental impact,” said Southport Mayor Joe Pat Hatem. “Could they clear cut? Could they put in more units than that land really be allowed to under our ordinance? How would it effect traffic? For instance, I mean you put that many more people in there and we have no control over that.”

The bill states that local governments would not be able to enforce zoning for the areas that would be under workforce housing.

Karen R. Rife, a member of ‘No High-Density Southport’, shared her concerns about the bill.

“The first paragraph sounds really nice, warm and fuzzy and we don’t dispute that there is a definite need for affordable workforce housing,” Rife explained. “Then if you read the rest of the bill, you understand that it is all about restricting and stripping municipalities of their regulations and how they’re allowed to build in their own district.”

Southport Alderman Rich Alt thinks density could be a concern as well.  The bill stipulates a development would only to need to set aside 20 percent of its units as affordable housing to qualify.

“With this bill, the other 80% of the property would have no density,” Alt says. “You could put houses within three feet of each other. you could take 376 acres and put 2,000 units on it and our infrastructure, and our roads just can’t take that.”

“We are a force and I want our citizens to know that we’re a powerful force with the League of Municipalities and we will do what’s right for our citizens, local towns and our cities,” said Hatem.

You can view Senate Bill 317 here.